I was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and underwent an autologous bone marrow transplant back in 2015. By the grace of God, I have been cancer-free for seven years. I was inspired to write some poems after my experience. One of them has actually been published. I hope my poems bring hope to the many cancer warriors out there fighting for their lives. If you are fighting cancer at this very moment, never quit. Remember, you have cancer, cancer does not have you. Every second your heart beats, you always have a chance. God has the final say. May God be with all the people who cancer has affected. We can beat this awful disease together. Like Harvey Milk said, "We got to give them hope."
Still to this day, I can't believe I endured all that pain. It’s crazy to believe there are people who experience worse symptoms and overcome harder obstacles to get cured. You are always going to have it harder than somebody else and easier than someone else. But your own individual defining moment in overcoming heavy adversity is yours. You need to make that one defining testimony in your life make you better. Sometimes we let things consume and get the best of us. When you survive cancer, people think the battle is over. Believe me, it's not. Society is not aware of the PTSD, the survivor's guilt, and the heavy depression that gets developed after cancer. As survivors, we find ourselves always checking for lumps, we go into panic mode when we feel sick, and we get stuck on what we should do next, not to mention all the death you experience around you in the hospital. You were just playing cards with your buddy after a cycle of chemo, and the next morning he did not wake up. All of these mental health issues cause stress. There should be more programs and awareness to help survivors prepare for life after cancer. We as a people need to learn to live life again. Let's put cancer behind us, take what we’ve learned, and know that we are strong and can conquer anything. Love, laughter, and living a fruitful life are what we need to focus on. Get lost in harmony. And for your friends who didn't survive, remember that it was just their flesh that didn't survive, but their spirit lives on. And they would want you to move on and reach your goals in honor of them. God bless.
A little boy with cancer.
I am not even 10 years old,
And I'm already brave and bold.
While the other kids are crying because they have to go to school,
I’m fighting cancer, and I’m going to win because I rule.
When all the adults get done with their chemo and want to find a bed to lay,
I still have the strength to go outside and play.
When everyone else is praying for my saving grace,
You will always see a smile on my face.
I love Batman and Spiderman,
And like them, I will fight my villain till the last stand.
I won't forget Captain America and his mighty shield,
So, cancer, you better stop and yield.
My superpowers have yet to be revealed.
I might struggle with multiplication and division,
But cancer, if you think you are going to take my life,
Think again because you don't have my permission.
Santino
anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL)
